DETECTION-2 feasibility: A feasibility trial to assess recruitment rates and ctDNA reporting times for patients with resected stage IIB/IIC/IIIA melanoma (DETECTION-2)

Research summary

We are looking for new and better ways to manage melanoma, an aggressive type of skin cancer. Surgery to remove the melanoma will cure the majority of patients with early stage disease. However, a small percentage of these patients will go on to develop further disease, which may spread to other places in their body. At present, following surgery, patients with early stage melanoma can either choose to have close monitoring with regular scans and skin checks or they can have a year of drug treatment. This study is testing whether we can follow patients with regular ctDNA (circulating tumour DNA found in blood) tests and only treat those patients that become ctDNA positive indicating disease activation. Thus reduce the amount of unnecessary drug treatment and potential side effects for patients by using ctDNA testing . This test can identify early melanoma relapse when it is not visible on imaging. Patients will remain in the study for at least 5 years and will be seen in hospital clinics.

Principal Investigator

Dr Miranda Payne

Contact us

Email: latephaseoncology@ouh.nhs.uk

IRAS number

341779